Is a Black Man welcomed in Austin? (Miami: codes, club)

[carolinajack]

what do you mean. Alexus, i am a black well educated professional and i did respond

[txstate]

You will be tired of living in Austin, the traffic and yes the people are always friendly as they seem I know I went to school in the area for 4 years.

[dburatti]

I'm a white male native Austinite who grew up on the "east side" and went to Pearce Junior High & LBJ High School, which was probably 75% black and maybe 15% white. That was in the early and mid 80s. I didn't see or hear of racial intolerance during that time or into my adulthood, nor do I see, hear of, or sense it now. That being stated, I'm not ignorant to believe that discrimination didn't and doesn't take place here.

I lived in Atlanta for eight years in the late 80s and into the 90s. Talk about pervasive intolerance! It was so bad that it was a major factor in my decision to move back to Austin. And I'm white! No, it wasn't discrimination against me. It was just what I saw in other people and heard working at Delta Airlines.

Also, part of the reason for the I-35 split with more people moving west than east, east of 35 is/was farm land and west of Austin is scenic and beautiful. Until the housing market dictated that one couldn't afford to live in Austin or west of Austin OR south of north of Austin in Hays or Williamson County, respectively, where taxes and the general cost of living is less, east of Austin was not considered for development. Changing markets combined with the dwindling number of children of farmers wanting to continue farming opened the rural farmland to residential development.

Lastly, again, I'm not going to deny that intolerance takes place. I hope that the original poster can find the answers he's looking for and that Austin continues to be the great place it is.

[love roses]

Point one...How far East did you venture. Mainly, I just say that, not about the views on racial intolerance because I live North East of Austin and find that people get along just fine out this way.

I just find another form of intolerance to say that East of 35 has no spirit or beauty. I know that topography preference is based on a persons opinion. I guess I'm just ultra sensitive about it or something, but I find farmland can have just as much beauty to it as rocky hills. I find the backroads from Taylor to Georgetown to be a nice little drive, just looking at all the big, green trees and seeing the San Gabriel River. And even though Rice's Crossing and Norman's Crossing are very small, little rural settlements I like the greenness of the fields and past that the little farmhouses under canopies of trees (and actually a lot of trees, not just a small clump) and in some cases, big old victorian farmhouses. I like the slight hills in Coupland, especially early in the morning and I like driving around Bastrop and McDade. I think there is a lot of beauty there. I don't disagree that there is some pretty scenery West, but I don't think that scenery ends at the freeway and then there's just a dark void everywhere else. You don't see really any racial intolerance in Austin, but that East/West of 35 thing just reeks of it to me and that is extremely pervasive in Austin.

[dburatti]

Originally Posted by love roses

I just find another form of intolerance to say that East of 35 has no spirit or beauty. I know that topography preference is based on a persons opinion. I guess I'm just ultra sensitive about it or something, but I find farmland can have just as much beauty to it as rocky hills. I find the backroads from Taylor to Georgetown to be a nice little drive, just looking at all the big, green trees and seeing the San Gabriel River. And even though Rice's Crossing and Norman's Crossing are very small, little rural settlements I like the greenness of the fields and past that the little farmhouses under canopies of trees (and actually a lot of trees, not just a small clump) and in some cases, big old victorian farmhouses. I like the slight hills in Coupland, especially early in the morning and I like driving around Bastrop and McDade. I think there is a lot of beauty there. I don't disagree that there is some pretty scenery West, but I don't think that scenery ends at the freeway and then there's just a dark void everywhere else. You don't see really any racial intolerance in Austin, but that East/West of 35 thing just reeks of it to me and that is extremely pervasive in Austin.

It didn't state it, i.e. the land east of Austin, had no beauty; it just doesn't match the Texas Hill Country. Our family farm (since at least 1935) is in Circleville. I have driven every which way to get there...through Rices Crossing (we stopped at the general store at the cotton gin for snacks and sodas in the 70s and early 80s,) Elgin, Cele (RIP the general store there recently. good BBQ,) Georgetown, Jonah (remember the ROwe Valley restaurant?,) Granger, Coupland, etc. We used to go eat at the Coupland Inn. BBQ at Rudy Mikeska's in Taylor. Reunions at the SPJST halls around Taylor. I've ridden my road bike alond many of those county roads and got a close up look that driving a car won't give you. The drive around Granger Lake (remember when that finally filled?) is very scenic.

The farm land is nice. But I think many more people prefer lake and hill country views to cow pastures.

D

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by dburatti

The farm land is nice. But I think many more people prefer lake and hill country views to cow pastures.

D

Now, see, that's a characterization that lumps all of the area east of Austin into "flat cow pastures", which simply isn't true.

Yes, there's some of that. There's also rivers and trees and rolling hills and greenery. You say you've driven all those areas, and give good "references" for having done so, yet, by your characterization of it as "cow pastures" as if that's all there is there, I find that hard to fathom.

Both areas have great beauty. They're just very different, and it's very subjective what someone will prefer. In my profession, I've found that to be VERY true, even people that originally think they'll prefer one will turn out loving the other more - just had some clients who moved here, fell in love with Dripping Springs and the Hill Country, leased there, but now are buying in the Elgin area, because they have horses and it's more suitable for horses overall there (pockets of Dripping are good for horses but there's a lot of rock), and they discovered that they much preferred the softness of the feel of the land there. And I've had people talk about "that ugly Hill Country". So you never know. I, personally, wish I could have a place in both!

[Trainwreck20]

From living here many, many years, the terrain (larger, more 'severe' hills) in the hill country to the west of Austin has been a significant factor in property values. Some people will prefer east, some will prefer west, but the balance definitely leans to the west as far as preference goes.

[dburatti]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

From living here many, many years, the terrain (larger, more 'severe' hills) in the hill country to the west of Austin has been a significant factor in property values. Some people will prefer east, some will prefer west, but the balance definitely leans to the west as far as preference goes.

That's what I was trying to state. Thanks!

D

[lolsearch]

Originally Posted by jimboburnsy

You're right, there are certainly neighborhood boundaries in Austin (as there are in any city of comparable or greater size) but I think that to paint in broad strokes about where "blacks and hispanics" live versus "white people" is inaccurate and your implication that Austin and other cities that not only profess progressiveness but actually realize it are in fact insidious harborers of subtle racism tells me a bit about your relative open-mindedness (and perhaps paranoia).

If we really examine neighborhood divisions, we will find that they are drawn socio-economically more than anything else. Successful professionals want to live where the other successful professionals live and they don't care about neighborhood demographics. Not today, not in Austin.

Sometimes you wanna go, where everybody knows your name....oh wait where a few look like you. My paranoria is simply rooted in the truth of what it feels like to be a professional, minority and having to continually be the ground breaker where ever I go. Sometimes it's just nice to turn to your left and right and find someone who looks like you... I'm sure you can relate to that, being of the majority race and all.

[lolsearch]

"Ugly comments" are completely on the other side of the spectrum of acceptance. Sure, I am accepted here in Colorado, but I also know there is a limit to that acceptance. That's why there is blatant and overt racism. Sure, many of the people I meet here don't mind hanging with just one black person of minority, but get a group of us together and that level of acceptance and tolorance goes right out the window. Please don't dismiss my experience or my honesty.

I really don't think that my estimation of Austin is too surface level. If I spend four days in your city driving through the lake areas, downtown area, university areas, suburb areas and the only people of color that I see are working at the fast food joint and the can count on one hand the amount of black people I see, forgive my immediate conclusion that the "tolerance" and "acceptance" level of your city is minimal.

I was glad to read some of the other postings that agreed with my observation, but gave reference to the history of the city. On a personal note, a friend of a friend asked about the lifestyle for black professionals in Austin and whethere it would be worth a move....their conclusion was..."that's why I am moving to Dallas."

I challenge you to look through the lens of a minority dwelling in your city. I toss this same challenge to my white girlfriends here in Denver to help them understand why I would want to leave such a hip city.